Widzew Lodz Sets New Transfer Record for Polish Ekstraklasa with €5m Deal for Osman Bukari.

Roger Hampel

Image: Austin FC

Widzew Lodz has set a new financial benchmark for the Polish Ekstraklasa after completing the signing of winger Osman Bukari from Austin FC in a deal valued at €5 million, the highest transfer fee ever paid by a Polish top-flight club.

Ownership Change as a Structural Driver Widzew

The record transfer follows a change in ownership at Widzew Lodz in April 2025, when Robert Dobrzycki, CEO and co-owner of industrial real estate developer Panattoni, acquired controlling interest in the club’s joint-stock company.

Dobrzycki is widely known for building Panattoni into one of Europe’s leading industrial real estate platforms. Since taking control of Widzew, he has publicly outlined an ambition to develop the club using a long-term, sustainability-focused model, often compared internally to Borussia Dortmund’s approach: financial discipline, brand development and competitive squad building without structural overspending.

MLS as a Selling League to Central and Eastern Europe

Bukari’s move reinforces MLS’s evolving role as a net exporter of talent, not only to top-five European leagues but also to emerging European markets seeking players with international experience and physical profiles aligned with high-tempo football.

Since joining Austin FC in the summer of 2024, Bukari made 50 appearances across all competitions, registering six goals and ten assists. His production, combined with prior experience in European football, positioned him as an attractive target for clubs looking to raise squad quality without entering bidding wars in Western Europe.